Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto

But anyone who comes to Loreto and doesn't venture into town is missing the best part of a trip here. One drawback: Taxis charge an outrageous $20 for a 10-minute ride into the city (and the same going back), so if you're staying more than a couple of days, consider a rental car. But once there, visitors can easily stroll the historic district with its shops and restaurants, or walk along the water's edge and admire the nearby islands. The plaza, at the corner of Salvatierra and Francisco Madero streets, is a good place to start. The town's municipal building contains the tourism office, where visitors can pick up street maps and inquire about water activities or a guided trip into the hills north of the city to see thousand-year-old cave paintings. One block west of the plaza, Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, which dates to 1752, has weathered hurricanes and earthquakes but still stands.

The mission was originally founded in 1697 by Jesuit priest Juan Maria Salvatierra, and all missionary expeditions in California began from here. Much of the mission's history is told next door at the Museo de la Misiones.

Among the historic items on display are weapons, agricultural tools, paintings and statues. Admission is 34 pesos (about $3.40), but on rainy days it's a welcome shelter.

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